PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure patient satisfaction among injured workers and determine the factors that affect satisfaction of the hospital services. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 231 injured workers hospitalized in I WC Hospital and D WC Hospital located in one of the major cities in Korea, all of whom agreed to participate in this research. The questionnaires were selected as literature suggested for explaining satisfaction of the hospital services, general characteristics of injured workers, characteristics of the hospital services. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis by SPSS/WIN 18.0. RESULTS: The patient satisfaction level is at 3.2 point, which is lower than general patient satisfaction in previous study. There were significant differences in satisfaction scores, depending on the gender, degree of medical treatments, the specialty of medical team, staff's kindness, medical treatment process, the cleanliness of hospital and the convenience of facilities. It was found that the patient satisfaction among injured workers is affected by the characteristics of the hospital services. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to promote medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, staff's kindness, medical treatment process and hospital cleanliness for developing Workers' Compensation hospital services.
Korea ; Patient Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workers' Compensation

OBJECTIVES: We performed a time series analysis in order to identify the relationship between the occupational injury rate and socio-economic factors, and through this predict the occupational injury occurrence rate. METHODS: We reviewed 168 sets of monthly data. For the statistical analysis, we used the economic index data provided by Statics Korea and the occupational injury index provided by the Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service gathered from 1994 to 2007. We performed a correlation analysis to find relationship between the occupation injury rate and economic factors. Using the correlation analysis result, we used time series analysis for the data in order to find out the association between occupational injuries and socio-economic indicators. We performed time series analysis to find out association occupation injury rate with socio-economic factors. In addition we ran a prediction occupational injury rate for 2008 and compared the result to the actual value. RESULTS: The factors associated with occupational injuries were the daily worker index (b=0.394, p<0.0001), the mechanical index (b=-0.023, p=0.0043), the manufacturing operation index (b=0.152, p<0.0001), the workers compensation coverage expansion (b=1.189, p=0.015), the IMF index (b=-2.05, p<0.0001), and the after IMF index (b=-1.565, p=0.01). The daily worker index, manufacturing operation index, and workers compensation coverage expansion had an effect that increased the occupational injury rate. Conversely, the mechanical index and IMF variable tended to decrease the occupational injury rate. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the daily worker index, manufacturing operation index, workers compensation coverage expansion, and IMF variables are related factors in regards to occupational injury.
Korea ; Occupational Injuries ; Occupations ; Workers' Compensation

This article presents the process of workers' problems with work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), the introduction of risk assessments (RA) for their prevention, and the consequences of this process in Korea. In 1997, economic crisis caused a rapid increase of massive layoffs, worker dispatch system introduction, job insecurity, and use of irregular workers resulting in work intensification. Work intensification increased WMSDs, which created massive workers' compensation collective claims. Workers argued for the reduction of work intensity. The RAs introduced as a consequence of the workers' struggle is unique in the world. Whereas these RAs were expected to play a pivotal role in WMSDs prevention, they dis not due to workers' lack of engagement after the compensation struggle. In fact, changes in the compensation judgment system and criteria have resulted in lower compensation approval rates leading to lower workers' compensation claims. The Korean experience provides insight into WMSDs causes in a globalized world. In such a the globalized world, work intensification as the result of work flexibility could be an international trend.
Compensation and Redress* ; Internationality ; Judgment ; Korea* ; Pliability ; Risk Assessment ; Workers' Compensation

Today, CTDs (Cumulative Trauma Disorders) are one of major hazards in the US and European Industries disrupting work schedules, productivity and increasing workers compensation costs. The increase in injuries and their associated costs has led companies to form committees and implement programs to address this problem. Therefore, it is important that quantitative analysis tools help identify and assess industrial tasks that pose risk to workers. However, the process of quantifying risk in upper limb tasks is still in its infancy stage and calls for better measurement techniques are not going unheard. As the first work of quantification, baseline CTD checklist for risk assessment was developed in this study. It was mainly based on previous literature regarding CTDs. The checklist was unique in that its expected user was industrial hygienist who did not have much ergonomic background and in that it was targeted to Korean workers in various types of industries. As the first application of the checklist, some jobs in two industries (VDT, heavy Industry) were evaluated, and compared with the medical data. Eighteen out of thirty items in the checklist was univariately significant (p<0.05) on the results of medical examinations. The correlation between medical data and total risk score from the checklist was 0.62. The feasibility of its use by an industrial hygienist was also checked by comparing with the results by an ergonomist. Their correlation (on the basis of Kendall's tau-b) in terms of total risk score was 0.74. The checklist in this study shows reasonably good performance for the first trial. Further research will have to include continuous refinement and validation for many more industries and many more jobs.
Appointments and Schedules ; Checklist* ; Efficiency ; Risk Assessment* ; Upper Extremity ; Workers' Compensation

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to ascertain the relationship between several factors and successful return to work using a structural equation model. METHODS: We used original data from the Panel Study of Worker's Compensation Insurance, and defined four latent variables as occupational, individual, supportive, and successful return to work. Each latent variable was defined by its observed variables, including age, workplace size, and quality of the medical services. A theoretical model in which all latent variables had a relationship was suggested. After examining the model, we modified some pathways that were not significant or did not fit, and selected a final structural equation model that had the highest goodness of fit. RESULTS: All three latent variables (occupational, individual, and supportive) showed statistically significant relationships with successful return to work. The occupational and supportive factors had relationships with each other, but there was no relationship between individual and the other factors. Nearly all observed variables had significance with their latent variables. The correlation coefficients from the latent variables to successful return to work were statistically significant and the indices for goodness of fit were satisfactory. In particular, four observed variables-handicap level, duration of convalescence, working duration, and support from the company-showed construct validities with high correlation coefficients. CONCLUSIONS: All factors that we examined are related to successful return to work. We should focus on the supportive factor the most because its variables are modifiable to promote a return to work by those injured in their workplace.
Convalescence ; Insurance ; Models, Theoretical ; Return to Work* ; Workers' Compensation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore job stress, job satisfaction and their relationship among Workers' Compensation Case Managers. METHOD: 137 Workers' Compensation Case Managers (89 case workers and 48 nurses) responded to a self-administered questionnaire. The data were collected in october, 2006 and analyzed using t-test and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient with SPSS WIN 14.0 program. RESULT: The mean score of job stress of nurses was 2.60 which was higher than that of the Korean female workers'. The mean score of job satisfaction was 2.30. The significant inverse correlation between job stress and job satisfaction was found (P<.01). In regard to the 7 items, the significant inverse correlations were found in lack of reward, interpersonal conflict, organizational system, insufficient job control, and occupational environment. CONCLUSION: The result indicated that the Workers' Compensation Case Managers have higher occupational stress and lower job satisfaction. To improve their job satisfaction, it is necessary to reinforce reward, organizational system, job autonomy, and cooperative occupational environment.
Female ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward ; Workers' Compensation

BACKGROUND: ‘Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs)' have been mostly reported in the manufacturing industry but recently the occurrence of industrial injuries has been constantly increasing in the service industry. This research is going to analyze the data about workers' compensation for WRMSDs in five different service sectors and identify characteristics of occupations with the highest approved occupations. METHODS: According to the data released from the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service, the overview of 12,730 cases of workers' compensation for WRMSDs in five service sectors from 2004 to 2013 is going to be analyzed and the source data is going to be classified by the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations to select the top five occupations that have the highest number of approval. RESULTS: After selecting each five occupations from the service sector that have work related musculoskeletal disorders, the result showed that the occupation with the highest number of approval in the health and social care sector were the early childhood educators, cooks in the school canteens in education services sector, garbage collectors in the sanitation and similar services sector, deliverymen in wholesale and retail, consumer goods repair and building cleaners in general management businesses such as those in building maintenance. The major event observed in the top five occupations was the overexertion and reaction as a cause of WRMSDs. The day when the WRMSDs mostly occurred was on Monday and the most likely time was 10 am. The median days away from work and lost working days are 29–90 days and 0–50 days respectively. The difference in each occupation was observed in year of service, age, and gender. CONCLUSIONS: 83.21% of the approved cases of workers' compensation for WRMSDs occurred in the top 25 occupations in all of the five service sectors, which meant that the approval of workers' compensation is concentrated in specific occupations. This research is going to suggest preventive measures for work related musculoskeletal disorders in the service industry and to help prioritize the preventive measures. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.
Classification ; Commerce ; Education ; Garbage ; Humans ; Korea ; Occupations ; Sanitation ; Workers' Compensation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine factors that affect satisfaction of the hospital services among injured workers. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 532 injured workers. The questionnaires were selected as literature suggested for explaining satisfaction of the hospital services, general characteristics of injured workers, characteristics of the hospital services. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis by SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: There were significant differences in satisfaction scores, depending on the types of disease, health status and possibility to return to work among the injured workers. Also, there were significant differences in satisfaction scores, in terms of medical facilities, food service, specialization of doctors and nurses, cleanliness of hospital, convenience of hospital teaching and counselling of doctors and nurses, supporting workers' compensation process, counselling of workers' compensation and unfair treatment. In the results of the standard multiple regression analysis, food service, medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, health status and hospital cleanliness were significant factors for satisfaction scores of the hospital services. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to promote food service, medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, hospital cleanliness, health status of injured workers for developing hospital services.
Food Services ; Patient Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Return to Work ; Workers' Compensation

In order to determine the trend in the number of employees covered by workers' compensation (WC) and trends in the burdens and benefits of WC, and to discuss the possible factors that might influence those trends. A relevant national statistical data from 1995 to 2012 are collected and analyzed. In the results, we found that the proportion of employees covered by WC to total employees in urban areas increased from 13.7% in 1995 to 51.2% in 2012 and also exhibited a significant degree of polarization. In 2012, 27.3% of the peasant workers were covered by WC, which accounted for 37.8% of the total employees covered by WC. Factors found to impact the number of employees covered by WC and trends in the burdens and benefits of WC from 1995 to date in China included urbanization, represented by the migration of farm labor to urban areas, changes in industry mix, regional disparity, GDP movements, and changes to legislation on WC and occupational health and safety. It still has a long way to go to reduce work-related injuries and occupational diseases (ODs) to levels comparable with other industrialized countries.
China ; Humans ; Urbanization ; Workers' Compensation ; economics ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine characteristics of work-related psychiatric injuries with Korean workers' compensation data. METHODS: We analyzed the distribution of sex, age, types of work-related psychiatric disorders, type of industry and occupation. Using the data of 3175 Korean workers' compensation cases who were compensated for work-related psychiatric injuries from 2001 to 2003. RESULTS: Work-related psychiatric injuries have increased annually. 897 cases, 1099 cases and 1179 cases were compensated during three years (2001-2003). Men accounted for many more cases than women. The most common age group was 41-49. The majority of work-related psychiatric injuries were 'organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders', 'neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders' and 'mood [affective] disorders'. For accidental psychiatric injury cases construction and manufacturing were the most common industries. Manufacturing, business activities, construction and transport were common in regard to work-related psychiatric disorders. In this study there was a high frequency of craft and related trades workers, elementary occupations and plant and machine operators and assemblers in accidental psychiatric injury cases. Work-related psychiatric disorders were frequent for elementary occupations, plant and machine operators and assemblers, craft and related trades workers, service workers, legislators, senior officials and managers. CONCLUSION: This investigation provided more information about the psychiatric injuries of Korean workers. These findings should help formulate intervention and prevention strategies of work-related psychiatric disorders.
Accidents, Occupational ; Commerce ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Plants ; Workers' Compensation*